Kiehl Frazier, who has been working with the first-team offense since the first day of fall camp, officially has been named the Tigers' starter at quarterback. He had been working alongside junior Clint Moseley through spring drills and into fall camp in what coach Gene Chizik maintained was a "close battle."

Still, with Moseley's shoulder clearly less than perfect and Frazier acclimating well to offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler's demands, Chizik decided today was the day.

"After a complete and thorough evaluation during spring practice and through the first three-plus weeks of camp, Kiehl Frazier has earned the starting job at quarterback," Chizik said. "We expect Kiehl to be a leader for this team and to continue to work hard every day. I am confident in his ability and leadership skills and look forward to watching him progress in both areas."

Frazier spent the 2011 season working exclusively as a Wildcat quarterback, rushed for 327 yards on 76 carries and scored three touchdowns. He never earned a start.

Teammates said Frazier significantly improved his passing skills during the spring. He has benefited from the addition of Loeffler, who built his reputation as a quarterback guru after working with Tom Brady and Tim Tebow.

Freshman Jonathan Wallace also is in the fray and has been taking second-team reps during recent scrimmages. It's unclear who will serve as Frazier's backup against Clemson.